Shochan Hiroshimayaki

Shochan Hiroshimayaki first opened its doors on University Avenue five years ago, when head chef Shinji Yamamoto moved to Hawaii. Since its beginnings, Shochan has provided customers with delicious Hiroshima and Kansai-style (or Osaka-style) Okonomiyaki ($8).

The Hiroshima style differs from the Kansai as the ingredients are layered rather than mixed together. But it doesn’t matter how you choose to eat it because the flavors and fresh ingredients take the Japanese pancake!

“Okonomi” in Japanese translates to “as you like it,” and at Shochan, customers can customize their Okonomiyaki by adding in ingredients such as Egg ($1), Kimchi ($1.70), Natto ($2.50) or Green Onions and Yolk ($3.50).

Dining Out met up with Yosoji and Keiko Kanada, who were eating dinner. Both had the Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki and praised Yamamoto’s masterful cooking skills as they ate their infamous Japanese pancakes. Yosoji and Keiko are loyal customers who used to eat at the old location by University of Hawaii, and continue to enjoy okonomiyaki on Kapahulu Avenue, where the restaurant relocated to earlier this year.

Yosoji Kanada: “I’m eating the Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki ($8) with soba. We always choose extra green onions when we eat this. I think since they opened, we’ve been here four or five times. If we don’t get the Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki, we get the Oden ($6) or Tendon with Ponzu ($6.50).”

Keiko Kanada: “I like the udon noodles a lot more more than soba, so I get the Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki with udon. My husband really likes soba. We knew the owners from before, so we come to their new location.”